Piper and company have assembled an impressive group of mainly Reformed scholars to tackle numerous issues regarding open theism. Almost every chapter is well documented, with numerous and lengthy footnotes accompanying much of the base material. There is a great deal here to ponder and study, and I suspect that many readers who are relatively familiar with the open theism controversy will be struck by the depth in which this book engages fundamental questions of hermeneutics and theological method.

I think there is little doubt that for the average reader, Parts 4 and 5 will be the best parts of the book. In these parts, various authors tackle critical theological and pastoral problems that open theism creates, and these are the kinds of issues that the average reader will most identify with and profit from I suspect. In particular, Wellum's critique of open theism's necessary compromise of the inerrancy of Scripture is outstanding, along with Ware's devastating analysis of how the gospel of Christ is gutted by open theism. The tackling of these critical theological ramifications is the part of this book that I felt was critically missing from Ware's 'God's Lesser Glory' book (which has been generally acknowledged to be the most devastating critique of open theism thus far, and was the book that really delivered the first mortal blow to open theism and got Boyd and company to play defense ever since), so in that respect, this book is an outstanding companion to that book.

The first parts of this book are great and necessary, but are likely to be sections that will take many readers by surprise. It is in these sections that attempts are made to discredit the inconsistent hermeneutic (to put it nicely) of open theism, as well as to discredit the much trumpeted assertion by open theists that historical theism is based on Greek philosophical ideas that are not found in the Bible. In addition, the section on the analogical nature of Scripture and the treatment of anthropomorphisms is likewise outstanding.

The one notable drawback of this book is that Biblical exegesis is not the thrust of this book. There are times when solid exegesis is conducted, but this book is not an exegetical critique of open theism. It's mainly a negative philosophical, methodological, and worldview critique that rightly exposes the mess that open theism is as a matter of scholarship. But someone looking for a sustained emphasis on Biblical exegesis of controversial passages, as well as a Biblical analysis of those many areas of Scripture that contradict open theism may be somewhat dissatisfied by the efforts here. There are other resources that deal with these issues, but it is the one critical area where this book lets open theism off the hook. This is unfortunate because as a result of this, this book, while perhaps the most comprehensive critique of open theism available, still ends up joining all of the other able critiques in doing serious damage to open theism, but not delivering the kind of comprehensive 'shock and awe' that it was capable of.

Nonetheless, for what this book deals with, it is outstanding and perhaps best of all, very current. The thought of Greg Boyd in particular has been in a seemingly constant state of modification and flux in recent years in his attempts to do damage control. His latest neo-molinist concoction gets a great deal of attention in this book where it is demonstrated to be a wholly inadequate solution to the problems his open theist perspective creates across the board. I highly recommend this book and believe that in many ways, it will become the book that open theists feel most compelled to respond to in light of the lucid and cogent arguments it lobs at open theism.

STRENGTHS:

1)Shows how sincere,misguided Christians (Open Theorists) can fall prey to Paul's warning to 'beware idle notions..and hollow,
deceptive philosophies..self-deceit via fine sounding arguments..' They depart from the Word of God and the God of the Word and the True Omniscient/Uncorrectable/Inerrant Jesus with every new Openist publication and pronouncement.

2)Establishes clear,undeniable linkage of Open Theory to Charles Hartshorne's Process Philosophy of Bible interpretation (see Hartshorne's 'Omnipotence & Other Theological Mistakes')
Such unbiblical,Process-like worldview permeates Openist filters
and lensing when doing Theology. See also Boyd's seminal Openist
book 'Trinity & Process' where he attempts a synthesis of Scripture+Hartshornism=Aberrant Hybrid Boydism (a la healthy horse+ill donkey=sterile mule).

3)Demonstrates Boyd's antipathy to his own denomination's Affirmation of Faith regarding Bible teaching of INERRANCY. Boyd is Theology Prof.at Baptist General Conference's Bethel College. BGC official doctrinal position is INERRANT BIBLE.

In Boyd's most recent book 'Across the Spectrum', he categorically denies his own denomination's position with his essay titled 'Infallibilist View'. Boyd doesn't realize the definition of INFALLIBLE is 'incapable of error in any matter'.
Boyd is teaching pastor at Woodland Hills Church. His statement of faith says, 'The Bible is Infallible'. Has anyone checked what he means by it? See his essay in 'Across the Spectrum' p.14-21 to see what Gregory Boyd really believes.

Why BGC President Jerry Sheveland and Bethel leadership maintain Boyd on clergy roster/faculty is of concern to many in BGC, who feel integrity would mean resigning in good conscience or public retraction of non-evangelical, Processist teachings that openly defy BGC church and college Affirmation of Faith.

4)Marshalling of Biblical evidence that shows how aberrant and beyond-borderline-heterodox many of Boyd's teachings are.

WEAKNESSES: minimal. These Scriptures would have been nice additions:

John 13:19 "I am telling you now before it happens so that when it does happen you will believe than I am He." Jesus has Exhaustive Definite/Divine Foreknowledge of ALL free futures. Boyd teaches Extensive Indefinite Forecasting or 'Divine Nescience (Ignorance)' along with 'Theo-Repentism' and 'Infinite Intelligence' in place of Evangelical Infinite Awareness-Knowledge-Omnipresent where/when-there/then in ALL dimensions of space-time (LxWxHxPastxPresentxFuture)

Boyd teaches there are Bible errors, using the example of "Jesus' command to his 70(sic)missionaries" about whether to take a staff on their trip. First, Boyd errs: It wasn't the 70, but the 12! Second, a fair reading of the Gospels indicates many mission assignments, each with potentially different itinerary and packing instructions. Luke 22 has Jesus telling them to pack a dagger-knife. Third, one or more accounts may be a composite of several trips while another may be a specific or representative mission. Fourth, this issue has been chewed on since before Augustine's time. Reformers and more recent scholars have put this to bed (see J.Bengel's, Calvin's and Matthew Henry's commentaries as well as Geisler's 'When Critics Ask' and John MacArthur Study Bible notes on Lk.9:3).
Fifth, Jesus was saying: 'carry only what you have with you: sandals on your feet, clothes on your back, staff in hand; don't procure/go get extras or what you don't have now.'(see Greek verbs used for 'take, acquire, procure,obtain,get).

Boyd's 'scholarship' and 'fairness' to the apparent discrepancy
is disingenuous and far from humble, to say the least. It's almost as if he can't help BUT to find errors of fact, history,
narrative rather than see the accounts as complementary or excerptive vs. passing judgment 'the three accounts do disagree and thus cannot in any literal sense be labeled inerrant.'-Spectrum p.19

Such is Boyd's aberrant view of Scripture: BEYOND THE BOUNDS of Evangelical, Essential Historic Christian Theology and contrary to his own denomination's Doctrinal Affirmation for Bethel College and all BGC churches, including Woodland Hills.

This book does an excellent (almost embarrassing expose') job of unmasking Gregory Boyd, Clark Pinnock, John Sanders and Open Theorists as: Christian? Yes. Evangelical? Sorry, no. Not if one takes their public false-teachings and books at face value.
They are certainly free to hold their beliefs. But self-proclaiming they are Evangelical and fomenting openly or subtly for 'change from within' is shown to be an empty claim and lacking integrity. Process theorists don't claim to be Evangelical. Why should Neo-processist theorists?

"By their fruit you shall know them..Test the spirits..Dear children, keep yourselves from idols..Scripture cannot be broken..do not go beyond what is written..are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?"

Buy extra copies and give them to friends & pastors and start group studies about Who the Real Triune God and His nature and attributes are. Be prepared for Bruce Ware's forthcoming book 'God of Greater Glory' which, along with Millard Erickson's
Christian Theology, will get the Bible student closer to the Bible. Openism just gets farther and farther BEYOND THE BOUNDS.

-Dr. Timothy George
Dean of Beeson Divinity School, Samford University and an executive editor of Christianity Today

Here is a weighty tract for the times, in which a dozen Reformed scholars survey the "open theism" of Pinnock, Sanders, Boyd, and colleagues, and find it a confused, confusing, and unedifying hypothesis that ought to be declared off limits. Some pages are heavy sledding, but the arguing is clear and strong, and the book is essential reading for all who are caught up in this discussion.

-Dr. J. I. Packer
Professor of Theology
Regent College

Table of Contents

Contributors

Foreword
John Piper

Introduction
Justin Taylor

Part 1Historical Influences

1The Rabbis and the Claims of Openness Advocates
Russell Fuller

2Genetic Defects or Accidental Similarities? Orthodoxy and Open Theism and Their Connections to Western Philosophical Traditions
Chad Brand

Part 2Philosophical Presuppositions and Cultural Context

3True Freedom: The Liberty that Scripture Portrays as Worth Having.
Mark R. Talbot

4Why Open Theism Is Flourishing Now
William C. Davis

Part 3Anthropomorphisms, Revelation, and Interpretation

5 Veiled Glory: God's Self-Revelation in Human Likeness-
A Biblical Theology of God's Anthropomorphic Self-Disclosure
A. B. Caneday

6Hellenistic or Hebrew? Open Theism and Reformed Theological Method
Michael S. Horton

Part 4What Is at Stake in the Openness Debate?

7The Inerrancy of Scripture
Stephen J. Wellum

8The Trustworthiness of God and the Foundation of Hope
Paul Kjoss Helseth

9The Gospel of Christ
Bruce A. Ware

Part 5Drawing Boundaries and Conclusions

10When, Why, and for What Should We Draw New Boundaries?
Wayne Grudem

11 Grounds for Dismay: The Error and Injury of Open Theism
John Piper

Bibliography on Open Theism
Justin Taylor

Scripture Index
Person Index
Subject Index

In the back of the book there are two essays, one by Sam Stourdze, is an excellent explanation of how Lange and Taylor compiled the book. The sales fell well short of their expectations and Stourdze comments "the rigor of its approach, the verism of its oral testimony and the radicality of its photographs were hardly designed to have mass appeal" Quite right I think, having looked through the book many times I don't think the powerful photos are backed up by adequate captions. All the photos are anonymous, even the ones with people, and surely any reader would want to know who are these folk, what is their story? This information was available because Lange took detailed notes on all her photographic assignments. It's as if the author's thought the only way they could put their point across was in an abstract way and ignore the very human turmoil the photos clearly show. In 1937 photographer Margaret Bourke-White and writer Erskine Caldwell compiled a similar photo book about the living conditions of the desperately poor rural underclass, called 'You Have Seen Their Faces' (reissued as a paperback in 1995) but here the photos and captions blend together better.

'An American Exodus' is a book of remarkable photos and well worth having if you are interested in America during the Depression years. BTW, the book reproduces the back dust jacket of the original and the New York publisher, Reynal & Hitchcock, list other "Vital books of our Time" and for three bucks you could buy 'Mein Kampf' by Adolf Hitler, "The blueprint of the Nazi program by the man who is shaking the world. No American should miss it".

Between all the route pages are some lovely spreads of Route 66 Americana which repeat themselves throughout the book, Route Food (pages 174-175 has Red-Hot BBQ Beef Ribs) Transport (168-169 has a 1936 Harley-Davidson) Music of the Road (Woody Guthrie on 156-157) and Famous Sites (Wigwam Village, Holbrook, AZ, on 294-295). The books production is excellent, good choice of photos, well laid out pages (a tip of the hat to designer Phillip Clucas) with colourful graphics behind the text on most of them. The back has a book list, useful resources guide (including websites) and index.

I recently reviewed 'The Final Cut Route 66' by German photographer Gerd Kittel. Eighty-three wonderful photographs of what he saw along 66 and I think it is the perfect book to complement Nick Freeth's travelogue. Kittel has the knack of producing really good color in his photos. Both books do justice to a unique and fascinating bit of America.

I would question the objectivity of the previous review.

Please also place no credence in my rating of five stars, I have yet to receive my copy.

This small volume is a treasure. In hardcover, the pages are silver, the dark blue typography is a beautiful old-style Roman, perhaps Garamond or Times, good-sized and leaded out for easy readability. And the illustrations are unsurpassed.

First, the illustrator: Gustave Dore was born in 1832, sixty years after the birth of Coleridge. He died in 1883. Coleridge preceded him in death by 49 years. Coleridge was born in 1772 and died in 1834. Dore was born in Strasbourg, and was a renowned illustrator who was doing lithographs at the age of thirteen.

The fact that Dore was a near contemporary of Coleridge is important because we can be assured that the characters' costumes in his illustrations reflect the actual dress of the time Coleridge was describing. The ships also are correctly drawn and beautifully detailed.

To say that his illustrations complement this classic epic poem is an understatement.

As to the poet, some wag said once of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, that "a half-great poet had a wholly great day." I have also heard that Coleridge is supposed to have written his epic in one sitting, in a great burst of inspiration. I can't vouch for that, but it is truly a masterpiece--of that there can be no doubt.

I recall trying to memorize it when I was in high school, about sixty years ago. I loved it then, and I still do now.

For the price, this book is an absolute steal. No library is complete without this poem, and of all the renditions I've seen of it, this is by far the most beautiful.

On the surface, this may just seem to be a simple poem by an English Romantic. But there is so much more. There is a lesson to be learned, one of respect for God's creatures and for all of creation. This is certainly a Romantic point of view, and Coleridge puts it forth very nicely in this poem.

This is a great beginning poem for novices of poetry, for beginners and for people who dislike poetry if it doesn't rhyme and have a definite rhythm. This is definitely Coleridge's best poem, one that everyone should be familiar with. This version with the woodcuts makes for a very attractive package--the illustrations add nicely to the poems overall effect.

For so long I've wondered, "how does he accomplish such wonderful things?". This book cannot show his unique genius nor how his imagination works, but it does show just enough of his techniques to sate my never ending curiosity.

You can see how a thistle is built. There are gorgeous pictures of how a glass bee is build and attached to a honey comb. Here are the dragonflies, the orchids and those amazing root people!

The book is filled with full color pictures, and many wonderful detail views. In Paul Stankard's case, "God is in the details".

I admired Paul Stankard's work before I read this book. I admire his ability ever so much more now that I've seen the immesurable detail that goes into each piece.

I finished reading this book while camped at 12,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Bishop, California. The next day, I was to embark on one of the longest, most physically challenging, and fear-inducing days of my life, including a climb to over 14,000 feet, losing one of our companions for 10 hours, and backpacking all night down the mountain in the darkness. Throughout this time, I was comforted by the words of Psalm 23 as taught by M.P. Krikorian nearly half a century earlier.

I was encouraged while reading about this young man's persistence in pursuing education and spiritual growth in the face of adversity. I also enjoyed reading about the author's decision to accept Christ as her savior in a small Pennsylvania church at which this man preached, and about her successful effort to research his life and produce this book.

I recommend this book for those interested in biography, Armenia, the 23rd Psalm, or the history of the Brethren in Christ Church.

Reverend Krikorian was a survivor of this ordeal, yet instead of turning from his faith, he embraced it as a Pastor in America and missionary to those left in Armenia who survived.

This book is fascinating, thorough in detail and a must read for those who identify as either a Christian or Armenian.

In my estimation, the biography of Meshach Paul Krikorian is an invaluable addition to anyone's library of God-centered, and inspired writings. There is no doubt when reading about Meshach from his early childhood to his ultimate destination in the United States, that he was able to overcome man obstacles, attaining what may have seemed to him as unattainable goals.

From the beginning of the book, his expression of love and obedience to his parents would enevtually lead him on a path that met God's plan for his life. I was quite impressed and overwhelmed to see how God's wisdom was brought out as Meshach interpreted the Holy Scriptures to the understanding of the reader. From a shepherd boy to Writer, Minister and Missionary, Meshach's life was of complete Servanthood to God and to all people.

Meshach's Ministry brings hope and salvation for anyone seeking the ultimate answer to life's questions.